CHAPTER 62
Pool Photo Proves Madeleine Was Dead
The Pool Photo is one of the strongest pieces of evidence
AGAINST the McCanns
In Chapters 12 and 14 and 15 and 21 and 28 and 28A. (“I’m not making this up” © J Tanner) I tried to make sense of the Pool Photo, or as Kate called it the LAST photo.
The McCanns initially through their ever mendacious spokesman Clarence Mitchell but later in Kate’s own book in her own words, insist it was taken on Thursday 3rd May 2007, around ‘lunchtime’, and the time stamp indicates either 1.29pm or 2:29 pm - depending whether the ‘Time and date’ setting was set to GMT or BST. (WET or WEST)
We then sat round the toddler pool for a while, dipping our feet in, and I took what has turned out to be my last photograph to date of Madeleine. p.66 Kindle
REF 1
For a long time we assumed that this sudden publication of the photo was to prove that Madeleine was alive and well at lunchtime on Thursday 3/5/7. What better than a Photograph, Real and Documentary evidence that this was so?
The Photo was timed to precede a tight sequence of individual items of evidence which had previously been relied upon
1 Photo - 1:29 or 2:29pm
2 High Tea, witnessed by Nanny Cat Baker 5:30 - 6 pm
3 David Payne’s visit to see the children, whilst Kate was in the shower 6:30 - 7pm
4 Kate’s statement in the book about all four of them bouncing around on Madeleine’s bed - singing and clapping before having their bedtime drink and going to sleep, 7 - 7:30 pm
5 Gerry’s by-his-watch check, and his proud father moment, 9:04 pm
and finally
6 Oldfield’s visit to see all three children, safe, well (and breathing) and in their cots with Madeleine in her bed. 9:30pm
An unbroken chain of SIX events leaving no doubt whatsoever that Madeleine was alive and well and had been seen by independent witnesses on different occasions throughout the day and with particular reference to the evening.
Unfortunately each one of those six ‘proofs’ has been inspected, analysed, dissected and found to be wanting.
And if we start with the FIRST, the Photo, then we can say that
As soon as we know that the photo has been forged – that the date has been altered – we KNOW that Madeleine was already dead.
Let me explain. The other five proofs quoted above are each sufficient to prevent the issue of her existence being raised in the first place. Each of them individually does this
Payne says “I saw her at six o’clock”, and that is it. He saw her at six o’clock
Gerry says he saw her at 9:10pm and Oldfield says “I saw her at 9:30”, and again that is the end of the matter.
Dr Amaral and the PJ were presented with respectable professional people apparently telling the truth, and had no reason at that early stage to doubt them. It made sense even if in an odd sort of way, and everything seems to dovetail together
But they weren’t and it didn’t.
Even after two weeks it must have become clear to the McCanns that the ‘official story’ was beginning to break down. The first openly hostile newspaper article was published on 30/5 with the Mccanns and Tapas 7 being aware for some time before that what was happening, and that the PJ were ‘leaking’ details, which made it clear that Dr Amaral and the PJ were having grave doubts about – amongst other things :–
REF 2
* The TWO handwritten timelines, with the OLDFIELD visit very swiftly whooshed from the second
EDIT: It has been pointed out that these timelines may be in the wrong order, with the group adding the Oldfield visit in an attempt to extend the time during which Madeleine was 'alive'. The subsequent typed version a week later then shows his reluctance to be put in the position of "last to see her alive' when he stresses that he did NOT see her at all. In any event the PJ clearly recognises the Timeslines as inventions.
APP A
* The THREE, or more, different versions of the Payne visit to the apartment and his ludicrously over-elaborated description of the children
* The Scenes of Crime photos of the bed, which on any examination had not only NOT been slept in, but had certainly NOT been sat upon by an adult and three children, all singing and clapping and bouncing around
* Gerry’s 9:04 by-his-watch visit, and the Jez-and-Jane nonsense, came under suspicion within days
* The High Tea and all the conflicting stories and lack of convincing evidence surrounding it was seriously called into question some time later, but it must have been evident to the McCanns that it was not going to be sufficient by itself, as they were the principle witnesses.
There was then a desperate attempt by the entire Tapas group to formulate the Third Time Line, this time on several sheets of A4, word processed and with copious explanation at each stage. This was duly handed to the PJ on 10th May, a week after the alleged events. It was no doubt filed under “Self Serving, Exculpatory”, (except that by this time the Oldfield ‘check’ included in the First timeline, but whooshed from the Second, is now re-instated in an even stranger and less credible form than he put in his statements.)
APP B
Against this background it is not surprising that the McCanns feared that the possibility of an earlier death would be raised, and pre-emptively struck by producing a photo dated 3/5/7 and clearly intended to prove conclusively that Madeleine was NOT DEAD on 3/5/7.
But the danger with this approach was always that if it was not taken on 3/5/7, then she was.
Let us remind ourselves that this Photo was and had been IN the camera from which the other photos had been extracted and put on a CD, and that Gerry had signed a Police Statement saying that ‘he had no other photos in his possession’. This was a very simple LIE, as he HIMSELF proved three weeks later when the Pool Photo was revealed. The McCanns had held back this vital photo. We can only speculate as to their motives at the time, but it might have included the use to which it was subsequently put. An Insurance Policy.
REF 3
In the previous Chapters I have described at length, with references and Appendices, the process of proving that the Pool Photo was taken during the luncheon interval on SUNDAY 29th April 2007. [edited 30/8 to correct typo]
The Appendices to Chapters 28 and the follow up 28A contain the main body of the evidence including the Weather reports, Sunshine records, the Tapas’ own statements about weather conditions, contemporaneously recorded diary entries from a “professional weather recorder”, a wide selection of other peoples photos taken during the week and posted on the web-site FLICKR, together with shots taken at a windsurfing competition in Portimão, a short distance along the coast to the east, in which the weather conditions are very obvious.
REF 4
I did not include hundreds of satellite images from EUMETSAT, as these require interpretation and attract adverse and abusive comments from those not willing to try or intellectually unable to comprehend. Suffice it to say that they show exactly what the terrestrial photos did, and reflected exactly what the weather and sunshine records told us. I append the midday one for each day of the holiday here to demonstrate this.
APP 3
It all allowed us to deduce that the photo was NOT taken on Thursday 3rd May 2007, but was taken on Sunday 29th April. [edited 30/8 to correct typo]. A bold statement but one which has not over the last 10 years been robustly challenged with supporting evidence to refute it.
Releasing the photo was the McCanns’ last desperate ploy, and for a long time it worked.
DCI Amaral and the PJ paid little attention to it even once they became aware of it. It was, we remember, NEVER submitted to the PJ, but was just placed by Mitchell in the world’s press with the editorial emphasising the lie that it had been taken on 3/5/7. The PJ assumed it was a form of collage, designed to evoke feelings of empathy.
The Pool Photo is not to be found in the PJ files, nor is a copy included in any edition of Kate’s book, a fact on which we might like to reflect for a moment.
But all this leads us to the clear understanding – and another bold statement that :–
As soon as we know that the photo has been forged – that the date has been altered, or even (pace the photoshop believers) – that it has been materially tampered with in any way at all,
WE KNOW BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT MADELEINE WAS ALREADY DEAD BY THE DATE AND TIME CLAIMED
It fits perfectly the established McCann and Mitchell tradition of giving too much information.
To adapt Bœthius slightly
Si tacuisses, te ipsum non damnares
if you had kept silent, you would not have condemned yourself
If Kate’s infamous Book is Prosecution Exhibit 1,
then the Pool Photo will be Prosecution Exhibit 2
REFERENCES
1 McCann, Kate. Madeleine (p. 66). Transworld Digital. Kindle Edition.
We then sat round the toddler pool for a while, dipping our feet in, and I took what has turned out to be my last photograph to date of Madeleine.
2 McCann, Kate. Madeleine (Ch. 13, p. 189). Transworld Digital. Kindle Edition.
3 https://mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GERRY-MCCANN-10MAY.htm
----- Asked, he clarifies that, with regard to the personal photos already delivered by him to the authorities after the disappearance of his daughter MADELEINE, he has no others in his power [possession].
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
The McCanns and Tapas group's prepared timeline, type-written and presented to the PJ on 10 May 2007 |
Sequence of Events: Thursday 3rd May 2007 - 2030 to 2200
As recalled by:
Gerry McCann - 5A
Kate McCann - 5A
David Payne - 5H (First floor)
Fiona Payne - 5H (First floor)
Dianne Webster - 5H (First floor)
Jane Tanner - 5D
Russell O'Brien - 5D
Matthew Oldfield - 5B
Rachael Oldfield - 5B
Times shown are approximate, but accurate to the best of our knowledge.
Prior to 2030, all couples and children were in their apartments preparing for bedtime.
- 5A (Madeleine, Amelie and Sean McCann)
- 5B (Grace Oldfield)
- 5D (Ella and Evie O'Brien) and
- 5H (Lily and Scarlett Payne)
2030: Standard booking for meal at Tapas restaurant for group – same all week (Sun–Thur)
2035: Gerry McCann (GM) and Kate McCann (KC) arrive at table at Tapas Restaurant.
2040: Jane Tanner (JT) arrives, followed shortly by Matthew Oldfield (MO) and Rachael Mampilly Oldfield (RMO).
2045: Russell O'Brien (RJO) arrives at table.
2055: MO returns to apartments to check on ground floor flats, passing David Payne (DP) and Fiona Payne (FP) and her mother Dianne Webster (DW) on their way down to the table.
2057: MO listens outside all ground floor flats’ windows on the car park side of the apartment (5A, 5B and 5D) to make sure they were asleep. At this time, all the shutters were down on each window.
2100: MO return to the table. Starters were ordered.
2105: GM returns to his flat (5A) and enters via the patio gate entrance. This and a child gate at the top of the stairs were closed at the time. He enters the flat via the patio door which is closed but unlocked.
The door is slightly ajar (about 45 degrees) which is unusual. All the 3 children were present and asleep. GM believes the shutter was down. The room in which the children are asleep is completely dark. On leaving the room, GM shuts the door to approximately 5 degrees. He then goes to the toilet to urinate.
2115: JT leaves table, and sees GM talking with fellow resident ("Jez" Wilkins) outside the patio gate of 5A. The two were standing just up the hill from the gate towards Rua A. da Silva Road. She did not speak to GM as she passed.
As JT continued up the hill towards the junction with Rua A. da Silva, she sees a man carrying a child in his arms crossing left to right from the apartment side continuing east along Rua A. da Silva in the direction of the "Millennium restaurant." He was on the same side of the road as JT 5-10 metres ahead of her.
Description of Man:
- Age 35 to 40.
- 1.7m tall approximately with a slim build.
- Good head of dark glossy hair with possible flick of hair to the right. The hair was longer at the back (i.e. not clippered or shaven).
- The central and the left side of the face were not seen
- Full length trousers, casual, the material hanging without creases. The colour was possibly a browny mustard. They were not jeans.
- Long sleeved jacket, fastened at the front, possibly by a zipper. It had a gathered lower hem and was also possibly brownish in colour.
- Shoes may have been a semi-formal brogue.
- Whether he was wearing gloves or not could not be ascertained.
- He was not wearing a rucksack or any other identifiable objects.
- He was only carrying a child, with the head against the left upper chest away from JT and the feet to the right – i.e. cradling the child like a baby.
- He appeared to be walking in a rush to get somewhere.
- He was not someone JT recognised from the week.
- He was not dressed typically for a "tourist," or at least his clothing did not seem to be of UK origin and may have been purchased in Portugal.
Description of Child:
- The child appeared to be a Caucasian girl about the ages of 3-4.
- She was seen to lie motionless/limp in the man's arms consistent with her sleeping or possibly drugged.
- She did not seem to be wrapped up well for the time of night wearing only pyjamas; the trousers were light coloured with a floral element, possibly with turn-ups. The top was not well seen though there was thought to be another colour involved possibly pink.
- She was not wearing shoes.
JT checked only 5D entering via the deadlocked door on the car park side of the apartment. Both children inside were asleep. She did not check 5A or 5B.
2120: JT then returns to the restaurant, by which time GM has also returned. The entire party then begins eating their starters which have arrived.
2125: After starters, MO and RJO go back to the apartments via the car park entrance to check all flats. They go first to 5D where RJO's daughter Evie is heard crying. RJO enters flat, whilst MO checks inside 5B, and then returns to 5D.
2130: RJO remains in 5D as daughter has vomited. MO goes to check on 5A via the patio gate entrance. The outside gate is probably shut, but the child gate on the stairs up to the patio is possibly open. The patio door is closed but unlocked.
MO enters flat, hears a sound in the children's bedroom that is probably one of the twins rolling over in their cot. He does not enter the bedroom but can see through a now quite open door (greater than 45 degrees) into the room.
He sees the two twins in their cot, but does not check Madeleine formally as no sounds and twins asleep. He recalls the room did seem lighter than expected, perhaps suggesting the shutter had been raised or the curtains opened?
2135: MO returns to restaurant table, by which time main courses are arriving or being eaten. MO tells JT that Evie unwell.
2140: JT returns to 5D to take over care of Evie from RJO.
2145: RJO returns to table to eat main course leaving JT in 5D.
2155: RMO asked time at table. RJO's main course arrives.
22.00: (approx): KM leaves table to check children in 5A. The patio gate is closed and the child gate is also probably closed. She enters through the closed patio entrance, with the curtains closed. She crosses the living area, and there is no noise from the children's bedroom. She is about to leave, when she notices the bedroom door was open (approximately 60 degrees).
She starts to close it and it slams. Considering the patio doors had caused a draft, she checks these doors but they are closed. KM returns to the bedroom and opens the door to check the children were not disturbed by the noise.
At this point, she notices that Madeleine is missing. She checks the other single bed in the room and also Kate and Gerry's beds. Then she double checks that Madeleine was not in her bedroom again. At this point she notices the curtains blowing forward with a gust of wind. She runs over, pulls open the curtains and notices the shutter was completely raised, and the windows pushed open to the left as far as possible.
She then completes a check of the bathroom, kitchen and wardrobes.
On failing to find Madeleine, she runs to the entrance of the restaurant, shouting from the path leading to the restaurant area raising the alarm that Madeleine was missing.
APPENDIX 3
